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SHRAMAN MAHAVIR
merge in your non-absolutistic vision You do not seek those VISIONS, as an ocean seeks no river'
Disputes regarding truth are disputes of partial vision Five blind men went on a journey They reached a village They heard about an elephant there They went to learn of it Of course, they had no eyes to see They touched the elephant Thus they obtained their knowledge about the animal and visualised it mentally Now proceeded their discussion about the beast Said the first, An Elephant is like a column' Said the second, 'It is not like a column but like a stem of plaintain.' Said the third, 'No, an Elephant is like a club' Said the fourth, 'You are also wrong It is like a winnowing pan' said the fifth, 'You all tell lies An elephant is like a thick rope' All the five had visualised the animal according to their partial vision None would budge from one's stance Each insisted on his own thesis as final and another's as false The tug of war was interminable
There arrived an outsider. Fortunately he was not deprived of sight He heard their arguments and said 'Friends! You must have some reasons ro quarrel amongst yourselves'
They narrated their experiences each Each of them expected his view to be supported Said the new-comer, 'You are all wrong' The five shouted simultaneously 'How can it be so? I have touched the elephant'
Said the new-comer, 'You did not touch the whole of the elephant but a part of it each Come along with me so that your dispute might conclude
He took them near the elephant He helped each to touch the parts of the elephant 'You are correct that the elephant is like a column but you have barely touched its leg and not the whole of it'
'You are also correct that an elephant is like a club But you have barely touched its tusk and not the whole of it'
'You are also correct that an elephant is like a winnowing pan. But you have touched its ear only and not the whole of it'
